Venezuelan children to be taught new history lessons shaped by Marx

Children in Venezuela are to be taught that Christopher Columbus was not a hero but the importer of colonialism and disease, as part of radical education reforms proposed by the government of Hugo Chavez.

Under the proposals students will start learning Marxist ideology at 11 years of age, plus history showing the evils of colonialism and capitalism.

The aim of the Bolivarian Educative System will be "the construction of a new socialist Venezuelan conscience and the formation of new generations as standard bearers for it," said President Chavez. He said it must "transform capitalist values into human ones and transcend Euro-centric colonialism".

Outlines of the new curriculum, due to come into force in 2010, show that as well as the unflattering depiction of Columbus, emphasis will be placed on teaching indigenous Indian history and culture, as well as that of the African slaves whose descendants now make up a significant percentage of the population.